Simply Vegas
by Tempesta Von Feniks
Summary: Chapter 7 is uploaded. Look out Las Vegas. A small group of Joes are on leave. Romance, humor, and mayhem ensue. D S, CG Dusty, Lifeline
1. Simply Vegas

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Simply Vegas

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Co-Authors:

  


Scarlett Phoenix and Scarlett Storm O

Disclaimers: We don't own or profit from GI Joe or their characters. We are only borrowing them to have some fun. Please don't sue us! We have nothing.

Authors Notes: Happy Birthday, Medic! We began this fic to wish our friend, Medic, a very happy birthday. Our idea grew from what was supposed to be a short story into a multi-chaptered story. Who would have been able to guess that would happen!? Anyway, it has been fun to work on. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it.

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**Chapter 1 - Prelude**  
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After the Joes defeated Cobra in a lunatic scheme to turn The City of Las Vegas into La Villa de Cobra, the small team reassembled at their mock headquarters and began the daunting task of packing up their equipment. Tired but elated by the crushing blow dealt to Cobra, each team member worked at a quick pace to load their equipment in the C-130.

Cover Girl and Clutch maneuvered their Wolverines into the transporter before heading over to assist Dusty and Footloose with the Maulers. As they all worked, Duke approached the four tank handlers. "Hey, Duke, man," Footloose spoke up. "How's about giving us a few days R & R?"

Scarlett and Gung-Ho hopped out of the Vamps that they had just loaded. Walking over to Duke, Scarlett put her hand on his shoulder and whispered seductively in his ear, "Con, we are in Vegas. You've seen the commercial, '_What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas_'."

Blushing, Duke looked at the twelve pairs of eyes staring back at him. The team had done a great job; they deserved some rest and relaxation. "That might not be a bad idea. We might actually get to finish a date for once," Duke quietly answered Scarlett. Clearing his throat, he announced, "Okay men, R & R is granted. Let's get this equipment packed up and loaded so the transporter and crew can return to base. Beginning tonight, the rest of us are on a 48-hour leave."

Loud cheers echoed through the temporary base, followed by "Yes Sirs". The Joes hurriedly got back to work, and the transporter was loaded in record time. "Okay, Sarge. She is all yours," Duke told the head loadmaster. "Take her on back to headquarters for us. Be back here in 48 hours to pick us up."

"Yes, Sir," the loadmaster sharply replied with a swift salute. As he trudged back to his plane, he muttered, "Lucky bastards. They get to go have fun in Vegas while I am stuck with all this equipment. Where did I go wrong?" Sighing, the loadmaster climbed onboard, and moments later, he and his cargo taxied down the runway.

"Okay, troops. Let's head on into town and see what is going on in the City of Sin," Duke commented, receiving an evil look from Scarlett and Lifeline. "What?!" He asked the two astonished faces.

"Try the City of Lights, Duke," Lifeline replied.

"Or the City of Luck," Scarlett countered.

"Whatever," Duke sighed, shaking his head. "Dusty, this is your ol' stompin' grounds. What do you call it?" Duke asked a stunned Dusty.

"Well, Duke, I simply call it home," Dusty meekly replied.

Footloose and Cover Girl both nodded their heads, agreeing with Dusty. "Well, man, show us around your hometown then," Footloose suggested to the desert trooper.

"Now you are talking," Dusty grinned, slipping behind the wheel of one of the jeeps as the others climbed in the two other vehicles.

Duke pulled his jeep up beside Dusty's and shouted, "Hey, Ron, you don't have to hang with us while you are on leave. If you would like, you can get us into town and then go visit your family."

"Thanks, Conrad. I may do that. We'll see," Dusty told Duke, winking at Cover Girl, who was sitting beside him.

As the Joes approached the city limits, a blue station wagon passed them heading in the opposite direction. As soon as the car was passed them, its brake lights lit up. The car quickly turned around and followed the Joes into town.

Dusty led the other two jeeps to a parking lot situated in a convenient location on the strip's main thoroughfare. As he got out, he explained that this was the middle of the strip and began to point out where the major attractions were. It was the middle of the day, and the traffic was lighter than normal. "The intense heat keeps most of the patrons inside, gambling until the sun goes down. Got to love the desert heat," Dusty gloated.

Shipwreck complained, "It is too hot. I'll bet you can fry an egg in two seconds out here."

"I say two and a half seconds," Ace butted in, holding out his hand. "We can test out Hector's theory at high noon tomorrow. Anyone else in?"

"Brad, save it for the tables, man," Footloose smirked, shaking his head.

The others laughed as a blue station pulled into the parking lot. A middle-aged lady got out of the car and started to walk towards the team. Dusty recognized her right away and excused himself. He ran over to the woman, and they embraced.

"Ronnie, it is you. I thought it was you when I passed you on the main highway. How long are you in town?" Mrs. Vasquez asked quickly. She had heard the news reports and knew that the Joes had been successful in thwarting Cobra's evil plan.

"Forty-eight hours, Mrs. Vasquez. I just brought the team to the strip, and then I was going to come out and visit you and mom," Dusty explained.

"Oh, Ronnie. You are going to make your mama so happy. She is doing so good." She paused then excitedly said, "espere un minuto1." Mrs. Vasquez snapped her fingers and continued, "Why don't you have your team come to the house for dinner. I just went to the grocery and have plenty of food. You know how I love to cook. The more people I cook for the happier I am," she rejoiced with a twinkle in her eye.

Dusty's eyes glowed. "Let me ask them, okay?" He quickly walked back over to the rest of the team. "Guys, Mrs. Vasquez just invited us all to the house for dinner. What do you all say?"

"Man, this rocks, dude. Mrs. Vasquez is the best cook around here," Footloose exclaimed, fondly remembering the last time he visited Dusty's home.

"Mon ami, a home cooked meal is just what this Cajun wants," Gung-Ho said.

"Yee haw, partner. I'll go for that," Wild Bill hollered.

"Anything to get out of this heat," Shipwreck and Clutch echoed in unison.

"Dusty, only if it is truly okay," Lifeline said, concerned about thirteen Joes dropping in unexpectedly on this poor lady and Dusty's mom.

"It is fine, Lifeline. Mrs. Vasquez loves to cook for a big family or army, whichever the case," Dusty answered, looking over to Duke.

Duke glanced at Scarlett and Cover Girl, who were nodding their approvals. Hearing the other laments, he chuckled and said, "Twice in one day you guys have persuaded me. Okay, Ron, tell your family that we would be honored."

"Yes, Sir," Dusty grinned, running back to Mrs. Vasquez to tell her the news. "They said yes. When do you want us to come?" Dusty asked.

"You can come anytime you want to. I'm headed home, and I will get something special together," she answered, beaming with pride.

"Okay, how about an hour or so? We can help you set up the living room and finish dinner," Dusty offered.

"You are such a good boy," Mrs. Vasquez said, pinching Dusty's cheeks. "See you en una hora2."

The woman hugged Dusty goodbye then ran back to her car. She tooted the horn as she drove out of the parking lot.

As Dusty turned around, he saw twelve faces staring at him. "You are our hero, mate," Shipwreck cheered as the rest of the team joined in congratulating the desert trooper, thanking him for having family in Vegas.

"Dude, let's go," Footloose said impatiently. "I'm like so hungry."

"Wait, guys, I told her one hour," Dusty explained.

Cover Girl suggested, "Okay, take us on a tour of your town then."

"Yes, that would be a nice idea," Scarlett agreed.

Ace pouted. "I thought we were going to gamble," he quietly grumbled to Alpine and Bazooka.

"Uh, sounds like later," Bazooka stated, smacking his gum.

"Don't worry, Ace. We have two days here. I am sure you will be able to find some free time to gamble and bet. This is a nice offer, and after the recent _meals_ that we have had, I am looking forward to some good home cooking," Alpine replied.

The Joes climbed back into their jeeps, and Dusty began to show them around his hometown.

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TBC  
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Phrases said by Mrs. Vasquez in Spanish:

(1) Wait a minute  
(2) in one hour  



	2. Arrival

_Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1 for the disclaimers, notes, and authors._

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**Chapter 2 - Arrival**  
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Three military vehicles pulled up to the Rudat house. As Dusty turned into the driveway, he motioned for the others to park along the street. The desert trooper frowned when he saw a strange vehicle parked in the drive.

Cover Girl looked over at the worried expression on Dusty's face. "What is it?" She asked quietly, placing a hand on his arm.

Footloose's eyes moved back and forth between Dusty and Cover Girl as Lifeline caught a glimpse of the medical emblem on the license plate of the shiny black vehicle. The medic bit his lower lip, waiting for Dusty's reply.

Dusty shrugged his shoulders, glancing over at Cover Girl. "I am not sure. I do not know whom that Pilot belongs to. The station wagon is mama's. Let me go make sure everything is okay," he said hastily, as he jumped out and ran up to the house.

Duke and Gung-Ho had pulled their vehicles up along the street and got out, wondering why Dusty left his vehicle so quickly. Walking up to Cover Girl, Scarlett asked, "Court, is something wrong?"

"I don't know. Dusty doesn't know who the Pilot belongs to and is worried," Cover Girl stated, pointing to the black vehicle.

Lifeline swallowed hard. "Courtney, look at the license plate. That is a physician's decal. Unless I miss my guess, I would say that the owner of that vehicle is a doctor."

Cover Girl looked worriedly at Lifeline and Scarlett then focused on the door to the house, waiting for Dusty to return.

Inside the Rudat's living room, Mrs. Vasquez met Dusty and greeted him with a huge hug. "Ronnie, it is so nice to see you. Where is everyone else?" she asked, fearing that they backed out on her offer for a big dinner.

Dusty relaxed a bit, knowing that if Mrs. Vasquez was acting like this that everything must be okay. "They are outside. But who's SUV is that?"

Smiling, Mrs. Vasquez understood what was concerning Dusty. "Oh no, mi hijo. Everything is fine. That is Dr. Ramirez's car, your mom's new doctor. She is here for your mom's scheduled appointment. She stops by every few days and has done wonders."

Dusty laughed and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I was worried, especially since you just told me that mama was doing better."

Back outside of the house, Cover Girl had gotten out of the car and started to walk in a small oval. "Hey Doll Face, will you please not do that?" Shipwreck asked. He walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder to stop her from pacing.

"Sorry, guys," Cover Girl apologized, looking at the team, "Ron's mom has been sick a lot. It worries me."

Footloose climbed out. "Hey man, don't get mental on us yet. Just…"

Duke interrupted Footloose with a glare. "Courtney, let's not jump to conclusions, okay?"

Suddenly, a dog, resembling a coyote, ran around from the back of the house and started to growl.

"Oh man, a rabid dog," Footloose exclaimed, jumping back in the vehicle, knocking Lifeline out of his way.

"Watch out!" Lifeline retorted, steadying himself from falling into the vehicle.

"Wait, don't run," Cover Girl said, as she noticed the panicked look in several of her teammates' eyes. "That is Dusty's dog, I think. I have only seen pictures." She knelt down and held out her hand. Whistling softly, she spoke, "Sandstorm, come here boy."

Lifeline cringed, whispering, "Courtney, be careful." He wanted to warn her about dog bites but did not want to scare her.

On the other side of a jeep, Alpine looked to Shipwreck. "Dog? Are you sure that is a dog?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "Looks more like a coyote to me."

"Yeah," the sailor nodded. "Let's just hope Desert boy decides to leave him here. It's bad enough we have Timber and other annoying pets running around base. We certainly do not need anymore." He clasped Polly's beak shut before the parrot could utter a word.

Sandstorm stopped growling and looked at the strange person, who was kneeling before him, uttering his name. He slowly approached her, cocking his head to the side and pointing his ears towards her voice.

Cover Girl watched the coyote and continued to beckon it, quietly calling his name, "Come here, Sandstorm."

The coyote sniffed Cover Girl's hand before he licked it and began to wag his tail.

Grinning, Cover Girl said, "See, told ya. And yes, Alpine, Sandstorm is a coyote." She petted the coyote then watched as he made his way around to the other Joes, demanding their full attention.

Back inside the house, Mrs. Vasquez smiled back at Dusty. "Well, don't just stand there and be rude. Have your friends come in. I told your mom that we were having company. Go on, mi amor," she gently berated the desert trooper.

"Yes, ma'am," Dusty grinned, walking back to the door. He chuckled as he watched his teammates petting and playing with Sandstorm. Cover Girl saw Dusty come to the door and was relieved that he had a smile on his face. Sandstorm immediately sensed his master's presence. He quickly ran from Alpine and Bazooka, jumping on Dusty playfully.

Dusty laughed as Mrs. Vasquez came to the doorway and waved the group inside. "Come on in, por favor," she requested.

Duke and Scarlett were the first to approach the house and introduce themselves to the friendly woman. Wild Bill, Ace, Gung-Ho, Alpine, Bazooka, Clutch, and Shipwreck followed Duke, leaving Cover Girl, Footloose, and Lifeline outside with Dusty and Sandstorm.

Sandstorm romped with Dusty a little while longer before checking out Footloose and Lifeline again, finally sitting down at Cover Girl's feet, waiting for her hand to run through his thick fur. The four laughed as Cover Girl leaned down to pet the tame coyote. "Would you look at that? My coyote is trying to steal my girl," Dusty laughed.

"Dude, you are deeply deluded," Footloose huffed, turning to go inside the house. "Come on Lifeline, let the mental ones be."

Following Footloose up to the house, Lifeline shook his head and muttered, "I cannot believe Ron has a coyote for a pet."

Cover Girl looked up at Dusty. "Desert, no one can steal me away from you. Don't you worry."

Dusty bent over and kissed her. "Shall we go inside?" Turning his attention back to Sandstorm, he commanded, "Sandstorm! Go lie down!"

The coyote immediately got up and disappeared around the side of the house as Dusty put his arm across Cover Girl's shoulders and guided her to the house. Once inside, she was introduced to Mrs. Vasquez, who hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear, "So nice to meet you finally. Ronnie talks about you all the time."

Cover Girl blushed, murmuring, "Nice to meet you too." When the hug broke, she politely asked, "Do you need some help in the kitchen?"

Mrs. Vasquez nodded, telling the others, "Make yourselves at home. Ronnie, take them out in the backyard, if you like."

Dusty nodded. "Come on, you heard the lady," he said as he began to usher everyone out.

Ace opted to stay inside, stating, "I think I will check out the game on TV. I have some bets placed." Dusty laughed, knowing the pilot's weakness for gambling. '_This is the wrong city for you to visit_', he thought, shaking his head as he joined back up with the others.

Cover Girl snagged Scarlett as she tried to escape to the outdoors with the guys. "Oh no you don't, Red. You can help."

Scarlett grinned. "I tried," she winked at Duke then followed Cover Girl into the kitchen to help finish the meal. "Smells great," she told Mrs. Vasquez.

"Muchas gracias, señorita," Mrs. Vasquez replied, handing the two redheads some vegetables to clean. Dusty grinned at the women as he went back to the kitchen to get all the guys something to drink.

Meanwhile, Duke and Bazooka eyed the big backyard. "You know, this yard is big enough for a football game. What do you guys think?" the team leader asked, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.

Lifeline grumbled, "Football is too rough. I think I will go back in and watch the game with Ace."

"Suit yourself, mon ami," Gung-Ho stated.

As the guys split up into teams, Lifeline walked back into the house and sat down beside Ace on the sofa. He looked around at the cozy home and turned his attention to the game.

TBC 


	3. The Game

_Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1 for the disclaimers, notes, and authors._

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**Chapter 3 - The Game**  
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"Mrs. Rudat, it's been really nice talking with you again," Carla said, as she gathered her equipment into her bag. "I'll come by in a few days, same time, same place."

"I'll look forward to your visit. You are so kind, my dear," Mrs. Rudat replied, smiling.

"My, there's quite a bit of noise coming from the front of the house," Carla commented. "Do you feel up to visiting with your company?" She asked, walking back over to Mrs. Rudat.

"Yes, I think I do," Mrs. Rudat said, sitting up in her bed. "They sound young, must be some of Ronnie's friends. I'd love to meet them. I'm sure they're good kids just like he is. Did I tell you my little Ronnie is in the Army, Dr. Ramirez?"

"Yes," Carla answered, smiling as she parked the wheelchair next to the bed. "Okay, whenever you're ready," she said, waiting for Mrs. Rudat to move to the edge of the bed. She carefully lifted the elderly lady and placed her in the wheelchair. "Comfy?" Carla asked, placing an afghan over her legs.

Mrs. Rudat adjusted herself a little. "I'm fine. Ronnie is such an angel. He comes home every chance he gets and makes sure I'm being well taken care of."

"I'm sure he does," Carla replied. She pushed Mrs. Rudat into the hallway and down the short length to the living room. Both women were shocked to see how many people could fit into the modest sized house. Carla looked down at Mrs. Rudat. "Are you doing okay?" she asked concerned.

"Oh my," Mrs. Rudat sighed. "Yes, I'm okay, dearie. This is such a nice surprise." She looked at the two young men sitting on her couch, not seeing her son. "Ronald?" she said softly.

Mrs. Vasquez walked into the living room from the kitchen. "Mama Rudat," she greeted. "Ron's out back with some of the others. I think he brought his whole unit here," she laughed. "Carla, would you mind taking her around back for me? I have lots of cooking to do. Oh, and stay for dinner, if you're able to, mi hija."

Carla looked at her watch. She started to decline the offer, but hesitated when her eyes met Lifeline's as she looked back up. "I don't want to intrude. You seem to have a house full already."

"Nonsense," Mrs. Vasquez refuted. "Besides, you might meet your destiny tonight. There are quite a few available men here tonight." She paused before adding, "and mighty good looking ones also."

"Mrs. Vasquez," Carla huffed, playfully grabbing Mrs. Vasquez's arm. "I'll stick around, but only if you promise not to play matchmaker tonight. Okay?" Carla asked, her eyes finding their way back to Lifeline.

Lifeline felt a pair of eyes watch him. He looked around to the only other room where people were, the kitchen. He slightly blushed as he saw Carla talking and laughing with Mrs. Vasquez. Catching himself beginning to stare, he turned his attention back to the game, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Of course not," Mrs. Vasquez said, crossing her fingers behind her back. She grinned, hoping she hadn't misjudged the medic's look. She went out to the living room and momentarily pulled Ace and Lifeline away from their game. "I just wanted to introduce you boys to Gladys, Ronald's mother, and Dr. Carla Ramirez, Gladys' doctor. She'll be staying for dinner also." Mrs. Vasquez said, smiling at Lifeline. "These are a couple of Ronald's friends, Brad and Ed," she said, turning to Carla and winking as she said Lifeline's name. Lifeline and Ace introduced themselves to Carla and Mrs. Rudat.

After exchanging pleasantries, Carla asked Mrs. Rudat if she was ready to go find her son. "Yes, dearie, I am," she responded. Mrs. Vasquez grinned, hoping the seeds of romance were planted.

Carla wheeled Mrs. Rudat to the back door. "Here, let me get that," Lifeline said, following them. He held the door open as they exited.

"Thank you," both Carla and Mrs. Rudat replied. Carla parked Mrs. Rudat on the back porch where she had a good view of the game. "You let me know the minute you start feeling cold or uncomfortable, okay," Carla instructed, making sure the wheels were locked before setting out a couple of folding chairs for herself and Lifeline.

"I will," Mrs. Rudat answered.

"I'll get those Ca... Dr. Ramirez," Lifeline said, correcting himself as he started to call her by her first name. He walked over to the lawn chairs and set them up next to Mrs. Rudat's wheelchair. The three sat, talking about different things and becoming acquainted with Lifeline.

Dusty was in the middle of a play when he noticed his mother out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, he had a surge of energy and ran the ball right past Duke and Wild Bill, scoring a touchdown for his team.

"Hey, weren't you Mr. All-American in high school and captain of your college football team, Con?" Wild Bill asked, mockingly. "How did you let a sloppy play get passed you?

"Yes, and if you don't want to be stuck scrubbing the showers with a toothbrush until it's as shiny as a baby's butt, you won't say another word about this," Duke reprimanded, trying to remain serious.

"Remember, he just told Bill to hush on the subject, not the..." Shipwreck stopped mid-sentence, seeing the warning look on Duke's face.

"Bwark, bwark, say it, sailor, say it," Polly mocked, hovering over his shoulder.

Shipwreck gritted his teeth, trying to remain on his better behavior for Dusty's mother. "Quiet, bird," he whispered harshly.

"Not the rest of us... not the rest of us," Polly finished his master's sentence as he flew in Duke's direction.

Footloose held the moody sailor back. "Dude, the mama figure," he said, pointing at the porch.

Mrs. Rudat smiled and waved back at the men as Dusty spiked the ball and ran up to the porch. "Mama," he said, giving his mother a hug and a kiss. Dusty held out his hand to Carla. "You must be her new doctor. Mrs. Vasquez has said so many good things about you."

Carla blushed. "Thank you. Your mother is a wonderful woman, Ronald. It's an honor to take care of her."

"I see you've met Ed," Dusty said, seeing the team's medic standing next to her. "He's our medic and a very good one. And that's Conrad, Bill, Ettienne, Albert, David, Hector, Lance, and Andrew."

Carla repeated the names as Dusty pointed out each person, hoping she could remember them. "Guys, this is Dr. Ramirez. Mama's doc," he said loudly to the others who approached them.

"You up for a _friendly_ game of flag football, Doctor?" Duke asked.

"Hey, she's like a girl, man," Footloose complained.

"Yeah, so what," Carla replied. "Never played football with a girl before? I'm in." She turned her attention briefly to Mrs. Rudat. "Ring your bell if you need me."

"I'll sit with her," Lifeline offered. "Football's not my sport."

"No, you can take my place," Dusty countered. "I can stay here. Besides, I haven't seen mama in months."

"Come on, Ed. Everyone plays a little football. It's the All-American sport," Carla said, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the yard with her.

"I'm sorry to correct you, Dr. Ramirez, but baseball is the All-American sport not football," Lifeline said. He tugged on his arm, playing like he wanted to break her grasp.

Clutch eyed the doctor over. "Aren't you afraid of breaking a nail or messing up your hair?"

"Behave yourselves," Wild Bill ordered, wanting to smack half his teammates upside the head. "Didn't your mamas teach you how to act around a lady? And don't make me bring up the time Scarlett, Cover Girl and Jinx kicked yo' arses in this here game the last time we played."

Duke laughed, remembering that game. "Never underestimate the enemy, especially when they're female. Remember men, women have never played fair since the beginning of time," he laughed.

"Yeah, Con, the only reason you have the nerve to say that is because your girlfriend is inside the kitchen and doesn't have a chance of hearing ya," Alpine spouted.

Carla rolled her eyes. "Just get setup already."

"You heard the lady, line up," Duke smiled. "Ed, you're on our side. Doctor, you're on Lance's team."

As everyone lined up, Clutch looked at Carla, who was walking towards him. "That's right, come to papa," he said.

Carla looked at him dead in the eyes. "So, which one of these guys is your kid? I didn't think you looked that old," she smirked, taking her place on the field.

"47 White... 47 White... hut... hut hut... Hike!" Footloose called out, looking to both sides making sure his team was ready to start the play. "Hey, Zook, dude, that like, uh, means hike the ball already."

"Oh, uh huh," Bazooka grunted, hiking the ball back to Footloose, who took a couple of steps back and passed the ball to Lifeline. Lifeline jumped and caught the ball. As he took off running to the mock end zone, Sandstorm decided to join the game, pushing Lifeline into Carla. Next thing they knew, Lifeline had tackled her to the ground with Sandstorm nudging both of them.

"Sandstorm, quit it," Carla ordered, giggling, feeling the coyote's fur brush against her leg. As she looked up, her sparkling, hazel eyes met Lifeline's deep brown eyes. "Ed," she blushed.

Lifeline froze, speechless. "Uh... yes," he stuttered, hoping the others hadn't noticed his daze. "I'm sorry about this," he said, slowly getting up, just to be pushed over again by Dusty's pet.

"Doesn't seem like Sandstorm cares too much for me, Ron," Lifeline chuckled.

Dusty and his mother just laughed. "Ronnie, I'm ready to go back inside, son," his mother said quietly.

"Okay, mama," Dusty answered, standing up and propping the door open.

Mrs. Rudat looked back as her son wheeled her inside. "You kids have fun with your game. Dinner shouldn't be much longer."

"Yes ma'am," the others replied.

Ignoring Carla's commands to behave and stop, Sandstorm, who seemed to have mission of his own, continued to playfully attack Lifeline every time the medic tried to stand up.

"Come on, let the happy couple get up," Alpine chuckled as he held Sandstorm back, allowing time for his teammate to stand up.

"Thank you," Carla said, taking Lifeline's extended hand as they both glared at Alpine.

Footloose sighed, "Deluded dog," as he petted the coyote's back. Sandstorm growled to show his discontent at being called "deluded". "Okay, okay," Footloose said, waving his hand in an '_I give_' motion as he backed up, distancing himself from Dusty's pet.

Mrs. Vasquez came out to announce that the gang had just enough time to clean up before dinner was ready.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Scarlett and Cover Girl busied themselves with cleaning vegetables and making homemade guacamole. Occasionally, one or both of them would look out the window to see how the game was progressing. Cover Girl happened to catch Sandstorm playing matchmaker between Lifeline and the doctor. Calling Scarlett over, she pointed out what she saw, and both women exchanged mischievous looks.

Dusty walked into the kitchen pushing his mom in her wheelchair. Hearing him clear his voice, Cover Girl and Scarlett whirled around as they removed the '_up to something_' smile from their faces and replaced it with an '_I am innocent_' look. Dusty shook his head, smiling.

Scarlett walked over to Dusty and his mom as they entered the kitchen. Dusty said, "Mama, this is Shana."

Scarlett smiled and offered her hand to the elderly woman. "Ma'am, thank you for having the team here. You have a beautiful home."

"You are welcome, dearie. It is no trouble at all. Mrs. Vasquez loves to cook," Mrs. Rudat stated, pulling Scarlett into a hug. After the hug broke, Scarlett excused herself to go help Mrs. Vasquez set the tables.

Ace sat in the living room glued to the television set, completely ignorant to all the activity surrounding the dining tables. "Brad, you could help," Scarlett fussed at the fighter pilot.

Ace dismissively waved her off, his eyes never leaving the game. "The score is tied, Red."

Scarlett huffed and apologized to Mrs. Vasquez, who just smiled, waving off the apology. "No need to apologize. I am used to it."

In the kitchen, Dusty walked over to Cover Girl, gently taking her by the hand, and led her over to his mom. "Mama, this is Courtney. She is my very special girl," Dusty said, turning pink from the introduction. He had told his mom about Cover Girl but actually introducing them in person was nerve-wrecking to the Desert Trooper.

Cover Girl smiled at Mrs. Rudat. "Nice to finally meet you, ma'am. Ron has told me a lot about you."

Mrs. Rudat's eyes looked over the woman standing before her who had made his son so happy. She was a pretty good judge of character and had told Dusty that some of his former girlfriends were not worthy of his kindness. She held out her frail hand to Cover Girl. "Come closer, child," she beckoned.

Taking a step forward, Cover Girl placed her hand in Dusty's mom's hand, unsure of what the woman was going to do or say. She cast her eyes over to Dusty, meeting his warm smile and soft hazel eyes, before she refocused her full attention to the elderly woman.

Once Mrs. Rudat had a firm grip on Cover Girl's hand, she tugged the younger woman close to her, wrapping her into a warm embrace. She hugged her as tightly as she could, whispering, "Courtney, I am so happy to meet you. Ronnie talks about you all the time, and I have so wanted to meet you. You have been so good for him."

Cover Girl blushed at Mrs. Rudat's kind words. "Ron has been a blessing to me as well."

Dusty walked up and put his arms around both of the women that were so special to him, giving them both a hug.

Releasing Cover Girl, Mrs. Rudat said, "Okay, Ronnie, be a dear and push me out to the table. Courtney, you and Ronnie will sit on one side of me, okay? I want Dr. Ramirez on the other side of me."

Cover Girl nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Dusty smiled and kissed his mom's cheek. "Anything for you, mama." As he turned the wheelchair around, Cover Girl snagged his arm and whispered hastily into Dusty's ear, "Put Lifeline beside the doctor for me."

Dusty arched a brow but nodded and pushed his mom out to the table, sitting her at the head of the table. Scarlett had taken a seat on Duke's lap and was involved in a heart-to-heart talk. They stopped as soon as the Rudats entered the room. Scarlett got up and excused herself back into the kitchen.

Duke chuckled, teasing, "I might be able to get her to cook for me yet."

Scarlett turned around at the doorway and flashed him a bright smile that had a hidden threat to it. Wild Bill and Gung-Ho uttered a low whistle. "Look out, partner. You are going to pay for that comment," Wild Bill warned Duke.

Ace looked up from the game. "What did I miss?" he asked eagerly.

"Our fearless leader is going to…" Shipwreck started but was interrupted by Alpine, "Just a little friendly banter between Top and Red. Nothing that we haven't seen before."

"Uh, ouch," Bazooka shrugged, hearing the conversation and giving Duke a merciful look.

"Top's gonna get it," Polly barked, flying right underneath the ceiling, just out of reach of the sailor's reach.

Duke glared at the parrot. "Polly, I'm enrolling you in obedience school when we get back home."

"Mama, pay them no attention," Dusty explained. "They do this all the time."

"If you say so, Ronnie," she replied, smiling at all the commotion in her home.

"Oh Ronnie," Clutch echoed. "We do not do this all the time. Sometimes it is worse."

"Okay, gentlemen, enough," Duke said, glaring at Clutch, daring him to say another word or tease Dusty again.

"Sorry, Top," Clutch quickly muttered, sitting down in a chair that would give him a good view of the game.

Mrs. Vasquez smiled at the conversation and disappeared back into the kitchen. "Okay señoritas, let's get this food dished up. I think your teammates are hungry."

Cover Girl grinned at the sweet lady. "I am sure they are."

Footloose wandered into the kitchen, his stomach growling from hunger. "Man…," he began then smiled. "Never mind."

Shipwreck, Carla, and Lifeline were walking into the living room as Footloose returned from the kitchen, announcing, "Dudes and dudettes, the food is coming."

TBC 


	4. Dinner and Departure

_Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1 for the disclaimers, notes, and authors._

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**Chapter 4 - Dinner and Departure**  
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"Dr. Ramirez, come sit over here, Darling," Gladys said, pointing to the chair next to her.

As Carla walked past Footloose, she couldn't resist commenting, "So, I see you're still stuck in the eighties."

"Like, totally so ma'am," Footloose replied, taking his seat at the dinner table.

Lifeline walked to the only remaining open seat, which happened to be next to Carla. "This smells wonderful," he said, referring to dinner. Duke cast a conspicuous glance at the medic wondering if he meant the food and/or the person sitting next to him, just as Scarlett kneed him under the table.

Mrs. Vasquez started passing the plates of food around the table. Even after everyone had taken what they wanted, there was plenty left.

"Hey, Zook, how is it Conrad, Ron, and even Ed, get to sit next to the pretty women, and I'm stuck sitting between you and Lance?" Shipwreck asked, spooning a small glob of guacamole on his plate.

"Dunno," Bazooka shrugged, his mouth full of a spicy hot tamale. The conversation was scattered and jumped from subject to subject from that point on. Every so often, the room was filled with laughter as the Joes told of some of the pranks that had been pulled.

At some point, Carla turned to Ed as the others were chatting. "I'm sorry about Sandstorm. He thinks he's human at times and thinks he can just join in the party at his own will, which is usually at the worst possible moment," she laughed, thinking of the impromptu football game. "I know they say a coyote is not a dog and should not be kept as a pet, but Sandstorm, he's safer than a lot of dogs I've seen or heard about, and he's very protective of Mrs. Rudat and this house."

Lifeline nodded and chuckled. "It's no problem. He just caught me off guard; however, I am sorry about landing on you. You weren't hurt were you?"

"No," Carla smiled, taking a bite of her tamale. "Mrs. Vasquez, this is wonderful as always."

"Gracias," Mrs. Vasquez replied, smiling. She was elated to see all the Joes enjoying the meal she and her helpers prepared.

Slowly, the dining room began to clear as each person finished their meal. Gratitudes and praises for her marvelous cooking were expressed to Mrs. Vasquez as each person left the table. "Ah, but these two wonderful ladies helped me out quite a bit," she said, pointing to both Cover Girl and Scarlett.

The Joes, knowing the two ladies could barely fix a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, burst out in laughter. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Vasquez, but you see, we know Shana and Court better. Let's just say cooking is not their forte," Alpine explained as he excused himself, knowing he would be in hot water if he lingered.

The men eventually left to see what was on television, while Scarlett, Cover Girl, and Carla helped Mrs. Vasquez clear the table and clean up the kitchen. While they worked in the kitchen, Mrs. Rudat chatted with the four women, mainly keeping the conversation centered on Vegas and some of the strange predicaments that tourists seemed to get themselves into. She regaled all sorts of events her and the late Mr. Rudat had witnessed over the years as she watched everyone work expeditiously at picking up the mess in the kitchen leftover from the wonderful meal.

Eventually, the conversation turned to the subject of significant others. Carla found out that Dusty and Cover Girl had been together for several months, while Scarlett and Duke had officially been a couple for a year and a half. "What about you, Dr. Ramirez? Do you have a significant other?" Cover Girl asked, ignoring the sharp glare that Scarlett gave her. She mouthed to Scarlett, _'What?! I'm not shy'_.

Carla answered, smiling, "No, Courtney. My work keeps me very busy. Most guys have that male machismo thing going on and can't get past the demands of my work."

Scarlett nodded. "I understand what you mean, but never fear, there is that special someone out there for you. Just keep your eyes open since you never know when he will show up."

"Maybe you need to focus on a gentleman who is also in the medical field," Mrs. Rudat hinted softly, quickly trying to stifle a yawn.

Scarlett and Cover Girl both exchanged a glance. It appeared as though they might have some potential 'inside' help as well. _ 'Operation CarEd could be implemented'_, each one thought, repressing a devious smile. Mrs. Vasquez caught the look between the two female Joes. She smiled, knowing that fate would take its course, if things were meant to be.

"Excuse me, señoritas," Mrs. Vasquez interrupted. "I will be back soon." Turning her attention to Mrs. Rudat, she said, "I think you need to get some rest."

Mrs. Rudat nodded. "Yes, I am a bit tired. I haven't had this much excitement in years. Shana, Courtney it was very nice meeting you both. Enjoy your stay in Vegas. Please come back to see me. Night Dr. Ramirez."

"Thank you for you hospitality," Cover Girl quickly said then joined Scarlett and Carla in saying 'goodnight'. The three ladies continued to make small talk amongst themselves.

Dusty saw Mrs. Vasquez rolling his mother back to her room. He walked over to his mom and kissed her good night. He continued going into the kitchen and stood next to Cover Girl, wrapping his arm around her. Cover Girl looked up at him, smiling warmly.

"I'll go see what's taking them so long," Duke said, also heading towards the kitchen, ignoring the hoots and catcalls of his team. Seeing that everyone was talking and relaxing, he took a seat next to Scarlett, saying, "I thought you ladies were cleaning."

"Everything's done. We're just waiting on the dishwasher, dear," Scarlett said, giving him a quick kiss.

Mrs. Vasquez returned. "Ron, did you have anything you wanted to do while you are home? Don't worry about your mother. She's doing just fine, right Dr. Ramirez?"

Carla nodded. "Yes, she is doing much better these past couple of months. The medications I have her on seem to be doing their job."

Dusty looked around the room, knowing his mother's medical bills had to be adding up. Carla noticed the worry building in his eyes and took him to another room. "Ron, don't worry about her bills. It's all taken care of."

"How?" Dusty asked, knowing that was impossible.

"Look, just between us, I get tons of samples from several pharmaceutical companies, especially the ones your mother needs. I only have a couple of patients who I subscribe them for, and the other has plenty of funds. So, anything I get and can spare, I give to your mother instead of writing her a prescription for them," Carla explained quietly.

Dusty nodded, part of his worries relieved. "But, you have your fees."

"Yes, but Medicare pays what they allow, and the rest, well, your mother and I have an arrangement. Actually, Ronald, Gladys has done quite a bit for me," Carla said, shaking her head. "Ron, you have a wonderful mother. I'd treat her for free if I could. She's become more like a counselor or advisor for me than a patient."

"Thank you," Dusty grinned. "But if she needs anything at all, let me know. I don't want her to have to worry about anything."

"I will," Carla said as they walked back to the kitchen.

"Mrs. Vasquez, does the Wayne Newton's show still play at the Stardust?" Dusty asked, taking a hold of Cover Girl's hand.

"Sí, but you know his shows always sell out way in advance. I doubt you can get tickets on this short notice," Mrs. Vasquez sighed. "Is there..."

"Mrs. Vasquez, I have a friend there who owes me a few favors. If you all are wanting to go, I'll be glad to see if he can arrange something for tomorrow night's showing," Carla offered.

"Sure," Mrs. Vasquez replied for the others.

"It's legit, no scalpers or scam artists," Carla assured everyone. She stepped outside to call her contact and make the arrangements. A few minutes later, she peeked back in and asked Duke to join her. "Conrad, does your team have a hotel room booked already?"

"Well, no ma'am," Duke answered. "May I inquiry why you are asking?"

"My friend, the hotel owner, is very grateful that your team drove Cobra out of Vegas, but he regrets that he can only give your team six seats for the show. He wishes he could provide them for everyone, but the busy season seems to have started early this year. In order to compensate, he has offered to provide hotel accommodations for your team, if you need them," Carla explained.

"That would be great, Dr. Ramirez," Duke grinned. "The guys have been working extremely hard these past few weeks and have been living in tents. They'd be thrilled just to have a bed and hot shower. As for the tickets, six will be fine. Most of the others would prefer seeing why Vegas is called Sin City anyway."

Carla laughed. "I'm sure they would. I'll finish making the arrangements. How many of you are in town?"

"Thirteen," Duke stated. Carla finished her phone conversation and walked back into the house with Duke. They stopped in the kitchen to tell Dusty they were able to obtain six tickets for Wayne Newton's show. As quickly as they said that, Scarlett walked over to Lifeline, pulling him off to the side, while Cover Girl approached Carla.

"Why don't you go with us?" Scarlett asked Lifeline as Cover Girl convinced Carla to join them. Scarlett turned Lifeline's head in the direction of Clutch, Shipwreck, Ace, and the others, "You don't want to gallivant around town with them, do you?"

"Uh, no," Lifeline said, shaking his head. "But I also don't want to interfere with your dates either," he said, looking Dusty and Duke's way.

"You won't," Scarlett assured him, smiling as she caught the thumbs up from Cover Girl.

Meanwhile, Duke had left to gather the others and held a small meeting to explain the arrangements that were made. "Quiet! Mrs. Rudat went to bed, remember," Duke ordered. "We'll leave for the Stardust Hotel in fifteen minutes. Your 48 hour leave begins right after we get checked in and get the rooming arrangements taken care of."

"Yes, sir," the others whispered.

Mrs. Vasquez, Carla, and Sandstorm walked towards the door as the team headed outside. "Hush, Sandstorm," Mrs. Vasquez commanded sharply at the coyote's growling. Dusty hugged both women thanking them for their help with his mother before walking to the vehicles.

Duke stopped him before Dusty climbed into a jeep. "Ronald, stay here if you want. We can meet up with you later."

"I think I will," Dusty smiled. He got his duffle bag out of the back of the jeep and ran back to the house. "Have fun," he said, waving to his teammates as they walked towards the three jeeps.

Duke reached in his pocket to make sure he had the small piece of paper Carla gave him. "What is that?" Scarlett asked.

"Dr. Ramirez' phone number. She said to call her if we had any problems checking in," Duke answered, laughing at the look on his girlfriend's face.

'_This couldn't be more perfect. He has Carla's phone number'_, Scarlett thought to herself.

"I don't even want to know," Duke chuckled, knowing she was up to no good, even more convinced of that since Cover Girl seemed involved as well.

TBC 


	5. The Ride

_Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1 for the disclaimers, notes, and authors._

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**Chapter 5 - The Ride**  
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As Dusty ran back towards the house, Cover Girl met him on the sidewalk. She had said her 'goodbyes' and 'thank yous' to Mrs. Vasquez and Carla for the warm welcome. She smiled at Dusty, giving him a hug and saying, "Your mom and Mrs. Vasquez are sweet. Be sure to tell them how much we all appreciated the meal and hospitality."

"I will, Court. You are welcome to stay, you know," Dusty informed her with a playful wink.

Smiling, she begrudgingly replied, "I don't think it would be proper right now, but maybe tomorrow night after the show. You need some time to visit with your family, and I am not going to take this special time away from you."

"How did I ever get so lucky?" Dusty questioned as he gave her a quick kiss before she could answer. "Listen, you behave and don't get into any trouble without me," he warned, placing the jeep's keys in her hand.

"Me? Trouble? Never! What fun would it be getting into trouble without you?" She teased.

"Hurry up, Court," Clutch called from the waiting jeeps.

Duke and Gung-Ho had already started their jeeps and were waiting for Cover Girl. Laughing, Cover Girl remarked, "I guess I get to lead us back to town."

Chuckling, Dusty beamed, "That's my girl. I'll see you tomorrow if not sooner."

Cover Girl caught a mischievous gleam in his eyes and grinned. "Okay, but only if you promise." As Dusty made a gesture of crossing his heart, she turned serious, quickly adding, "Spend time with your mom and Mrs. Vasquez. I know they are important to you, and you do not get to see them often."

Dusty nodded before Sandstorm made his reappearance and head butted Dusty into Cover Girl. Dusty quickly steadied both himself and Cover Girl as they both laughed at the surprised invasion. Cover Girl leaned down and patted the coyote's head. "Good boy," she praised. "I wouldn't have forgotten to say goodbye to you. You are quite the little matchmaker, aren't you?" She teased Sandstorm, who was now sitting at her feet with his tail beating against Dusty's legs.

Straightening back up, she grinned devilishly at Dusty as he shook his head at her statement. "I should have known," he sighed before Cover Girl leaned in and kissed him.

"Bye Ron. I'd better go before they come and drag me to the jeep." Dusty gave her a quick hug before she ran over to the waiting convoy. Sandstorm attempted to follow, but Dusty held him back. Instead, the coyote howled his goodbye.

"About time, Courtney. We could have been there already, but no one remembered how we got out here," Shipwrecked exclaimed. "I thought Dusty lived in Vegas not a half hour from it."

"Man, this is still Vegas, and she was just saying later. Chill out," Footloose remarked.

"I think that crazy coyote misses you, Courtney," Lifeline stated, watching Dusty order Sandstorm to go lie down.

Ignoring all of the comments made by the three riding in her jeep, Cover Girl started the engine and backed out of the driveway, waving goodbye to Dusty. "By the way, did you say goodbye to Dr. Ramirez, Ed?" She asked, driving out of the housing addition.

"Yes, I thanked her for …" Lifeline looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror, catching the look in her eyes. "Hey! What is it to all of you anyway? Jeez." Lifeline sat back in his seat, crossing his arms across his chest.

Shipwreck poked him with his elbow. "The doctor was pretty hot."

Snickering, Cover Girl glanced back to make sure the other two jeeps were behind her before she took off down the highway towards the city.

A thunderous shout erupted from the second jeep. "Yee haw," Wild Bill hollered from the backseat as he watched the First Sergeant feverishly floor the jeep to catch Cover Girl.

"Damn," Duke cursed. "If she gets a ticket or if one of us gets a ticket by trying to keep up with her, it's coming out of her pay."

Scarlett laughed. "Oh, come on now, Conrad. This is fun. Just think of it as an early thrill ride."

"Excuse me, Red. Just what are you suggesting?" Clutch asked from the backseat, raising an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Scarlett quipped before turning in her seat to face Clutch. "I was referring to the many roller coasters in Vegas. What did you think I meant?" She asked innocently before facing the front of the vehicle again. Duke glanced over at her just in time to see the evil grin forming on her face.

"Nothing Darlin'. We knew all along what you meant. This grease monkey was just trying to pull your chain and stir up trouble," Wild Bill hastily explained before quietly telling Clutch, "Be careful of what ya step in, Pard. It may take some fancy footwork to stay outta the muck."

"I heard that Bill," Scarlett stated, smirking as she watched the scenery fly by.

The last jeep, driven by Gung-Ho sped along. "Off to da races, mon ami. Who let Courtney drive anyway?" Gung-Ho growled.

Ace's face flushed a pale hue as he sat in the front passenger seat. "Now, you know why I fly. I would much rather fly at Mach 10 in the air than on the ground."

Gung-Ho laughed while Alpine elbowed Bazooka. "Hey, Zook. You up to a little scaling of fascinating objects?"

"Uh, sure," Bazooka replied. "Where?"

"The one and only 'High Roller' coaster that sits on top of the Stratosphere Tower. It is over 1000 feet above the ground," Alpine explained quietly.

"Okay," Bazooka answered.

"Court, I think you ought to slow down. You seem to be loosing the others," Lifeline reasoned, glancing back at the distance between their jeep and Duke's. On top of that, he could barely see Gung-Ho's jeep. "There is no reason to be driving so quickly. Plus, I don't want to treat anyone for carsickness."

Reluctantly, Cover Girl slowed down and retorted, "You are no fun, Ed. You need to live on the wild side tonight. We are in the City of Sin as Conrad so elegantly called it earlier. Loosen up, will ya?"

"Yeah, you landlubber," Shipwreck piped in. "You can hang with me, Clutch, and 'Loose. We are gonna pick up some girls and have some fun."

"Just be careful of the streetwalkers, Hector," Cover Girl warned.

"Is that what you and Red are gonna do tonight? Make some extra money," Shipwreck replied from the safety of the backseat.

Appalled, Cover Girl shrieked, "AS IF!"

"Totally girlfriend," Footloose chimed in, causing Cover Girl to shoot him a glower, but instead, she ended up chuckling at his comment.

"Ed, hit Hector for me," Cover Girl told the medic, still trying to act annoyed at Shipwreck's comment.

"Sorry Courtney. I do not resort to violence, no matter how much it is warranted," Lifeline responded, glaring at Shipwreck for his disgusting and lewd comment.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch, Doll Face," Shipwreck quipped, ignoring Lifeline's look. "I was just joking with you."

Grinning evilly, Cover Girl suddenly swerved the jeep, causing Shipwreck to grab the seat. "Watch it!" He cried out in surprise, his knuckles turning white from hanging on tightly.

Cover Girl huffed, "Not another word then sailor boy."

"Serves you right, sailor, serves you right," Polly mockingly reprimanded his owner.

"Dude, you are so busted," Footloose remarked before he looked at Cover Girl and requested, "Court, next time you do that, could you please warn me, man?" He was a little shaken by her swift swerving.

"Sorry 'Loose," Cover Girl apologized. Glancing up in the rearview mirror, she met Lifeline's surprised look. "Sorry, Ed. I tried to be good, but he so deserved it," she smirked, turning up the radio so that she could not hear Lifeline's rebuttal.

Nodding in agreement, Footloose grinned, "Word."

Lifeline shook his head and watched Shipwreck scramble to try and find his seatbelt. "That should have been on earlier," he scolded, noticing that of the four of them, only Shipwreck had neglected to fasten his belt.

"I didn't know she was going to try and kill me," Shipwreck retorted.

"You have ridden with her before," the medic replied, unsympathetically.

"_What the hell_ is she doing up there?!" Duke roared in surprise as he witnessed Cover Girl's jeep quickly veer to the side of the road.

"My guess is she is teaching Hector and Lance a lesson," Scarlett sneered.

"Hey Red, sorry to disappoint ya, but I am right here," Clutch commented. Shaking his head in disbelief, he continued, "Even when I am in the same vehicle, she still ignores me."

Scarlett laughed as Wild Bill slapped Clutch on the back. "Told ya. Better watch what you say to the ladies, Partner. Court tanned Hector's hide. Yur next."

"Be glad you are riding with a sane driver, Brad," Gung-Ho told Ace as he watched the unfolding events ahead of him.

"Since when are you sane, E?" Alpine inquired from the backseat.

Ace closed his eyes and shook his head. "I am fearless except when it comes to Courtney's driving. Just get me there in one piece, Cajun."

"I'm a fixin' to, mon ami," Gung-Ho replied, ignoring Alpine's comment. "Hey, we did slow up a little though. Now, we are going 75 instead of 85 in a 55 mph zone."

Ace, Alpine, and Bazooka groaned at Gung-Ho's announcement as the three jeeps continued to barrel down the final stretch of the highway before entering the strip and cruising down the main road. Cover Girl pulled up to the Stardust Hotel, where Carla had been able to reserve the last remaining suites. Apologizing profusely, Carla had explained that even though she knew the hotel owner, they were booked and only able to spare the four, nice sized rooms. "No one sleeps in Vegas, anyway," Carla had stated, smiling at the group of Joes who were staring at her back in Dusty's mom's living room before they had left.

Duke led the team into the hotel lobby and walked up to the desk clerk. "Evening. We have four suites reserved under the name of Joe," Duke explained, trying to hide his smile as he watched his teammates joke around and unwind.

Scarlett walked up to Duke. "Have you decided how you are going to pair us up?" She asked coyly.

Shrugging his shoulders, he answered, "Not yet. It'll come to me, though." He smiled at his girlfriend, knowing that once again a 'date' could be broken by a roommate coming in. "We'll figure something out. Don't worry. We have 48 hours. Surely somewhere in that timeframe, we will find some alone time," he whispered in Scarlett's ear.

Scarlett's blue eyes shimmered. "I'll be waiting, Con."

The desk clerk finished the paperwork, handing Duke a pen to sign for the four suites. "Your rooms are on the 20th, 25th, 29th, and 32nd floors," he explained. Seeing the group of ten guys and two ladies, he continued, "Each suite has two queen size beds, a comfortable sofa, and a foldout cot in the closet. That should accommodate your needs."

"Thank you, Sir," Duke said graciously, taking the twelve pass keys and motioning for the Joes to gather around in the lobby. "Okay, troops, listen up. My rules while we are here are stay out of trouble and don't destroy Vegas. We just halted Cobra's attack, so let's not disappoint the residents and patrons of Vegas by disintegrating their city. Have fun, but do not call me to bail you out of jail. We were lucky enough to get four rooms, so I am going to split you up. Clutch, Shipwreck, and Wild Bill will be on the 20th floor. Alpine, Bazooka, and Gung-Ho will be on the 25th floor. Scarlett and Cover Girl will be on the 29th floor. And Ace, Lifeline, and Footloose are with me on the 32nd floor. Any questions?"

"No sir," the team answered.

"Good, here are your keys. Dismissed," Duke said as he handed each Joe their key. Secretly, he feared the mayhem of what his team could get into with 48 hours of leave time.

TBC 


	6. Parting Ways

_Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1 for the disclaimers, notes, and authors._

_Authors' Notes: We have enclosed a listing of the Joe codenames and real names. Hope this helps. _

Scarlett – Shana  
Duke – Conrad  
Cover Girl – Courtney  
Dusty – Ronald  
Lifeline – Edwin  
Wild Bill – Bill  
Gung-Ho – Ettienne  
Ace – Brad  
Clutch – Lance  
Shipwreck – Hector  
Footloose – Andrew  
Alpine – Albert  
Bazooka - David

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**Chapter 6 - Parting Ways**

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Cover Girl and Scarlett stepped into their luxurious hotel room. "Wow," they exclaimed in unison, looking at the two queen-sized beds and other amenities in the room. Taking a peek into the gigantic bathroom, Cover Girl quickly quipped, "Dibs on the first bath."

Scarlett glowered at her but was too exhausted to put up a fight. "Fine, make it quick," she stated, flopping herself down on a bed and flipping on the television.

"Thanks. I told the guys I would meet them in an hour, but now I wonder why I promised that," she groaned, eyeing the soft bed. Quickly pushing the domesticated thoughts from her mind, she grinned evilly. "Shana, why don't you come with us? It will be fun."

"I don't think I can move. You go ahead and have a good time," Scarlett answered.

Cover Girl rolled her eyes as she walked by the soldier lying on the bed on her way towards the bathroom. Once she filled the tub and added her favorite peach scented bubble bath, she climbed in, sighing appreciatively. _'Maybe I really should change my mind. This is too nice_,' she thought to herself, letting the steamy, hot water penetrate her tired muscles. She closed her eyes as she leaned her head back against the wall. It didn't take long for her body to fully relax and for the female tank jockey to begin to fall asleep.

A short time later, Scarlett knocked on the door. "Hey, Court. You're gonna be late."

StartledCover Girl opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. "I'll be fine but thanks for the reminder," she told Scarlett. She climbed out of the bath, her body refreshed and re-energized. After slipping on a fluffy, terry cloth robe, she stepped out of the bathroom and walked over to her duffel bag. Looking over at Scarlett, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, she asked again, "Shana, are you sure you don't want to come? You will feel so much better after a nice, relaxing bath."

"No thanks, Court. I think I am going to hang out here and take that long bubble bath that you passed up on," Scarlett teased.

"Suit yourself, Red. I don't know if I could stay cooped up in here, even though it is quite comfy," Cover Girl remarked, dressing in a pair of jeans and a tank top. She dried her hair and applied her makeup, noticing Scarlett still lying on the bed. "What are you doing, Shana? I thought you wanted in there."

"I'm letting the sauna you created disappear before I create another one," the redhead joked.

Snickering to herself, Cover Girl apologized. "Sorry. I am not use to having a roommate. I'm surprised that you didn't think I stole all of the hot water."

"That too. Did you leave any for the rest of us?" 

"This is a hotel, dear. I think using up all of the hot water would be an impossible task," Cover Girl replied quickly before grabbing a denim button-up shirt. "Well, enjoy your evening in," she winked at Scarlett.

"What?!" Scarlett asked in bewilderment.

"Uh huh. Just have fun with Conrad. You two deserve some time together and away from the rest of us," she revealed and quickly slipped out of the room before Scarlett could reply. Chuckling to herself, Cover Girl walked to the elevators and started her descent to the main floor.

The elevator stopped on the 20th floor, and Wild Bill stepped on. Politely tipping his cowboy hat to her, he greeted, "Evening, Ma'am."

Cover Girl laughed. "Evening, Cowboy. Do you have plans for the night?" She asked, wanting to know if anyone had come up with some good ideas besides gambling their next several months' salaries away.

"Not sure yet, Court. ****Ettienne, Ed, and Andreware discussin' what to do. There is a wrestling match E and I wouldn't mind seein'," Wild Bill explained as the elevator descended. "What about you?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she answered, "Nothing yet. Thought I would see what kind of trouble ya'll were going to get into."

"Darlin', we would never get into any trouble without ya. Brad, Lance, and Hector are heading to Caesar's Palace to see a boxing match. Albert and David seem to have disappeared without a saying word, and I don't know what Conrad is doing yet. What about Shana? Is she coming along?"

Cover Girl shook her head and answered, "I don't think she is. She _says_ that she is planning on taking a long, soothing bubble bath. I told her I could not stay confined in our suite, even though it is very nice."

"You can hang with us any time, Court," Wild Bill offered.

"Thanks, Bill," Cover Girl said, flashing him a smile as the elevator doors opened on the lobby floor. They walked out and headed towards the other Joes.

"Did ya come up with anything, pards?" Wild Bill asked.

"A 'rasseling match is going on, plus lots of shows: a magic show, Celine Dion show, Elvis shows, Elvis impersonator contests, the roller coasters, and of course the casinos. Take yer pick mes amis," Gung-Ho revealed.

"Wrestling? Now that is some down home country fun," Wild Bill whooped, causing a few other Stardust patrons to look in the direction of the odd group of assembled individuals.

"Man, chill out. I don't want to get kicked out yet. There is too much to do out there, dudes," Footloose stated.

Shaking her head, Cover Girl added, "Yeah, we don't want the fury of our fearless leader to descend upon us."

"I could go for the 'rasseling match, Bill. Anybody else?" Gung-Ho queried.

"No, not my thing," Lifeline said, followed by Footloose shaking his head. "I would rather take my chances dressing up as Elvis, dude," he joked, but immediately caught Cover Girl's narrowed eyes. "Oops," he murmured.

Cover Girl smiled and winked. "Aw, 'Loose come on. It could be fun. You could pass for Elvis with a little help from the unit's makeup artist."

The group laughed, and Lifeline remarked, "This I have got to see. What do you say, Andrew?"

"Man, me and my big mouth." He eyed the group suspiciously then said, "What could it hurt? I can do it."

"Great!" Cover Girl exclaimed and then turned to Wild Bill and Gung-Ho. "Are you two coming with us or are you still going to the wrestling match?"

"Wrestling," they both answered with a laugh.

"No, offense, Darlin', but I do not want to see 'Loose dressed as Elvis," Wild Bill continued, explaining his reasoning.

"Ed, are you willing to help me?" Cover Girl asked the shy medic before teasing, "Or I could dress you up as Elvis, also."

"No, Courtney, I will help you. You do not want to see me as Elvis," Lifeline quickly answered.

"Great, come on mon ami, we don't want to be late," Gung-Ho said, waving '_bye_' to Cover Girl, Footloose, and Lifeline.

"Have fun kiddies," Wild Bill drawled, following Gung-Ho out of the hotel.

As Cover Girl, Footloose, and Lifeline started to walk out of the hotel, an advertisement caught Cover Girl's eye. "Wait up, guys," she requested as she read over the poster, which was advertising the annual bike show starting the next day at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "Cool," she whispered.

"Man, look at that. A bike show," Footloose stated, reading the same poster as Cover Girl.

Grinning, Cover Girl turned to the guys and said, "I know what Ron and I are doing day after tomorrow."

"Why not tomorrow? It is opening day," Lifeline asked.

"Us girls have to go shopping for the Wayne Newton show tomorrow night. You know, the one that you are going to with Dr. Ramirez," she winked at the medic, causing him to turn pink.

"I did not forget. I will need to do some shopping too," Lifeline replied.

"Deluded, man, deeply deluded," Footloose commented then continued, "the bike show sounds cool though. Mind if I tag along?"

"Not at all. The more the merrier," Cover Girl answered. ****

The trio headed out of the hotel and towards the auditorium where the Elvis impersonator contest was being held. Cover Girl walked beside Lifeline, while Footloose lead the way. "So, Ed, you know that you are going to have to get a nice tuxedo for tomorrow night. There are plenty of rentals around here," she noted, looking around at the signs in shop windows.

Rolling his eyes, Lifeline said, "Those are supposed to be for people who are eloping."

Cover Girl shook her head and replied, "Not always. You can't go to a show like Wayne Newton without nice formalwear. I know Shana and I have to find an evening gown, and Dr. Ramirez is shopping with us tomorrow too," she hinted.

Lifeline looked at Cover Girl. "Really? I mean, she is? I mean, that is nice," he stammered, turning red.

Not wanting to embarrass him anymore, Cover Girl answered, "Yes, she is. She seems really nice and is an immense blessing to Ron's mom."

"Yes, she seems to be very knowledgeable. We discussed shop while the guys played football. Mrs. Rudat had nothing but praises for her," Lifeline agreed then changed the subject, "Speaking of Ron, why didn't you stay with him? I am sure you two could have gotten cozy there instead of embarrassing all of us."

"Ed, I am offended," Cover Girl giggled, blushing. "I can't believe you just said that."

Lifeline quickly apologized, "I am sorry, Court. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"I am just teasing you, sorta," Cover Girl replied. "Ron needs to spend some time with his family. His mom is very important to him, and he rarely gets to see her."

"Courtney, that is the sweetest thing I think I have ever heard you say," Lifeline said before he thought about what reaction Cover Girl might have. "Wait a minute, I didn't mean it that way. What I meant that was..."

Cover Girl interrupted him, "Touché, Ed. I understand."

Feeling bad, Lifeline grabbed her arm. "Seriously, Court, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. You just surprise me sometimes. I am so use to seeing you interact with the guys in the Motor Pool that most of us never get to see the sweet side of you."

"It is okay, Ed, really. You could have said something worse, you know," Cover Girl quipped.

"Like what?" Lifeline questioned, arching a baffled eyebrow at her.

Trying desperately to keep a straight face, she hesitantly revealed, "Well, you could have given me the _'formal tests'_ speech."

Lifeline was shocked at her revelation and shook his head. "You are never going to let me live that down are you, young lady," he tried to reprimand her, but instead, busted out laughing, causing Cover Girl to lose her resolve and laugh too.

Footloose turned around, staring at his two teammates in disbelief. He shook his head and mumbled, "Man, they are all deluded. No, delusional." He started to hum some Elvis songs, blocking out the laughter coming from behind him.

TBC


	7. Pitfalls of Scaling

_ Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1 for the disclaimers, notes, and authors._

_Additional disclaimer: Any non-Joe characters in this chapter and future chapters belong to the authors and are completely fictional. Any similarities to a person, either fictional, real, living or deceased, is purely coincidental. _

Name Reference:

Bazooka - Dave

Alpine – Albert

Deep Six – Malcolm

Airtight - Kurt

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**Chapter 7 - Pitfalls of Scaling **

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"Zook, let's get going before our third wheel discovers what we're up to," Alpine said quietly, leading his partner-in-crime towards the door. He kept an eye on the bathroom door, where Gung-Ho was taking a quick shower. The two scurried in the direction opposite the elevators, not wanting to run into any of their teammates who might spoil their plans.

"Isn't this illegal?" Bazooka asked.

"Illegal, smeegle," Alpine huffed as they started down the stairs.

After going down the first flight of stairs, Bazooka stopped and pulled Alpine back to face him. Leering into his friend's face, Bazooka whispered forcefully, "Are you crazy? There are twenty-four more flights to go. They have elevators in case you hadn't noticed."

"Yes, but the others will be using those, and we don't want them to spoil our fun now, do we?" Alpine replied, descending the remaining flights. Bazooka shrugged and kept up with his friend's pace. "Just be glad we're going down instead of up," Alpine chuckled.

Bazooka looked up and down the stairwell. "Uh yeah," he sighed. Once they reached the main floor, they hid on either side of the opening that led into the main lobby area. Both heads peeked out from behind the wall. "All clear," Bazooka stated softly.

Alpine's eyes re-scanned the area and nodded in agreement. They casually walked by the front desk and out to the streets. "Nothing strange about a man carrying a rope and some climbing gear while walking down the streets of Vegas, is there, buddy?" He asked, laughing to conceal his worries.

"No, guess not," Bazooka shrugged, stopping to take in the sights and sounds of the renowned Vegas Strip.

"Dave, come on, would ya?" Alpine called back to his friend. "We can look at the sites later, but right now, we need to finish your climbing lessons."

Bazooka smacked on his gum. "Aw, pretty lights," he said, looking up and down the street. "And pretty girls." He waved at a small group of women as Alpine pulled him along by his shirtsleeve. The women giggled and waved back at him. "Bert, what are we doing?"

"See that tall, skinny building with the round top?" Alpine asked, pointing at The Stratosphere.

"Yep," Bazooka replied.

"You and me's gonna climb that, and then we're climbing the _small _'coaster on top of it. If we're lucky, we might do a little base jumping also," Alpine explained, patting the rope slung over his shoulder. "Sounds like lots of fun, right?"

"Yeah, if you say so," Bazooka sighed, looking over their target.

A short walk later, Alpine and Bazooka arrived at the base of The Stratosphere. They walked around the outskirts of the spiked building, looking for a place where they would least likely be spotted by security, much less have them follow their path. Alpine set up the rope and tugged on it to ensure it was secure. As he started his ascent, Alpine looked back at his climbing partner. "Whatever you do, don't look down," he warned. "And remember, there's no safety net!"

"Uh huh," Bazooka grunted. He grabbed the rope, and at Alpine's signal, started his climb. "Pretty easy," he commented.

-----------------------------------------

Michael Griggs, the assistant head of security for The Stratosphere, walked into the monitoring room after beginning his shift. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen," he greeted. "How are things today?"

"Fairly quiet again," Stacy answered. "Nothing outside the usual: rowdiness, a couple of fights, drunkenness, and a few cheats and thieves. Reports are on your desk and ready for you to sign off on." The others acknowledged their superior's presence while continuing with their assigned duties.

"No employee problems either so far today," Rick added.

Michael scanned the various screens displaying the ongoings of their establishment as Terrence spoke up, "Hey, check this out. We have a couple of scalers on the north side of the building." He proceeded to alert their floor personnel assigned to the outside areas of The Stratosphere, including those on the observation level.

"Stacy, what were you saying about a calm night?" Michael teased. Stacy and the others chuckled, while maintaining their focus on their jobs. "Men and ladies," Michael winked at Stacy, "let's get these idiots before they harm themselves or our patrons, who are here to have fun, spend money, and fund our paychecks. You know the drill."

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Halfway up the tower, Alpine made one of several glances back to check on Bazooka. Seeing the thumbs up signal, he continued his climb. "Doing great, pal!" He yelled. "Just a few more ropes, and we'll be topside." As he set the final rope length in place, Alpine heard a horrifying, muffled scream. He finished the task and switched ropes. Looking down, he saw Bazooka petrified, his eyes bulging towards the ground below. "Hang in there, buddy. A few more feet and we'll be on solid ground again. Just hold on tight and take it one step at a time."

Bazooka looked back up at his mentor. "One step at a time," he mumbled, giving a quick glance downward.

"And quit looking down!" Alpine reprimanded.

"Oh, yeah," Bazooka sighed, recommencing his climb, slowly at first but gradually speeding up his pace, enough to catch up with Alpine and surpass him. He climbed over the edge, only to be met with a very surprised Alpine a few moments later.

"What the hell was that about?" Alpine asked, pulling up the last of the rope. "You nearly trampled me to death."

Bazooka shrugged and replied half-heartily, "Uh, sorry, Bert. Now what?"

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"They've just climbed onto the north side of the observation deck, on the backside of The High Roller. Pete, you're the closest. Do you have a visual?" Stacy radioed.

Pete started making his way to the area that Stacy had described. Seeing the two men stand up, he announced through the microphone pinned on his lapel, "Yes, ma'am. Targets in sight."

"Matt, Lia, back him up," Stacy ordered, keeping a steady eye on the video, while Michael watched over her shoulder. The others went back to surveying their respective areas of the premises.

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"First we blend in with the crowd and ditch security," Alpine said, spotting a few men in black making their way towards them. "And then, see that?" he asked, nodding towards a roller coaster.

"Yeah," Bazooka said, popping his bubble.

"That is phase two of your training. We're climbing it, and spit out that gum, would ya? It's a miracle you didn't swallow and choke on it," Alpine said, smacking the back of his friend's head.

Gulp. "Great. Swallowed it," Bazooka fussed as the two merged in with the crowd.

-----------------------------------------

"Damn! Where'd they go?" Pete cursed, as their targets seemed to have disappeared into the crowd.

Stacy's firm voice replied, "Hold on." She put her hand on Terrence's shoulder. "Move in on that," she said, pointing at a possible crowd control problem.

Terrence typed a few keys to enlarge the area of the film to which Stacy had referred. "Alrighty, it's them," he stated calmly.

"They're making their way towards The High Roller," Stacy informed Pete and the others, who were making their way to the roller coaster, while being considerate of the other patrons.

-----------------------------------------

"Hey, man, the line is back there," a burly man roughly informed the two Joes.

"Nah, we're not riding. Just wanna get a closer look at it," Alpine said, ignoring the other comments the man continued to make. "Dave, let's sit here and let things cool down up here before we do this."

"Don't think it will cool down much more, Bert," Bazooka replied, referring to the weather.

"That's not what I meant... uh... never mind," Alpine muttered, controlling his breathing and looking away before he snapped and carried Bazooka to the building's edge to send him freefalling down the 800 plus feet to his imminent death. He shuddered at thinking what the crime scene would look like and his poor partner's body splattered all over the concrete, not to mention dealing with Duke, Hawk, the LVPD, and whoever else might become involved. '_I've been watching way too much CSI lately_,' he contemplated.

-----------------------------------------

"It looks like they are taking a break. One of them is looking back and forth between The High Roller and The Big Shot. Keep your eyes peeled. I'll let you know as soon as they make their move," Stacy informed from her vantage point in the security room. "They're headed to The Big Shot," Stacy alerted the teams as she watched Alpine point to the 'coaster that was shut down for inspection.

"Got it," Lia replied as she met up with Matt outside on the observation deck.

Matt grinned evilly. "Why don't you go out with me, Lia? I'll bet your dates are never this exciting or fun."

"Matt, no fraternizing on the job," Michael warned through his communicator.

Matt let go of Lia's waist and shrugged, knowing the cameras never missed a thing. "Sorry boss. Had to give it a shot," he muttered as they struggled to reach their destination because of the crowds. "Pete, we're almost there."

-----------------------------------------

"Bert?" Bazooka asked, looking concerned as he pointed at The High Roller coaster.

Alpine nodded but then changed his mind. He turned Bazooka's head towards The Big Shot, a catapult ride. "Top is 1081 feet in the air, and it's closed for inspections, so no dodging the cars," he chuckled, patting his partner on the back.

"Uh, I think I'm gonna be sick," Bazooka groaned, gagging and turning pale. He sat back down and protested, "I'm not going. You can't make me."

"You're right, pal. I can't make you, but don't you think the ladies will go crazy once they find out that you scaled the highest 'coaster in the world? Think about it man, do you know of anyone else who has done this? Sure, we climbed Extensive Enterprises before, but so did Shana and Alison, but this... I mean climbing a 'coaster on top of one of the highest buildings in the State of Nevada," Alpine rambled, pulling Bazooka back up and nudging him towards the ride's base.

"Geez, now you're startin' to sound a lot like Malcolm and Kurt with your long dissertation," Bazooka moaned.

Alpine continued to convince Bazooka how this stunt would greatly impress the women. They set up their equipment and began their mission. "Don't..." Alpine started to warn his trainee not to look down again but shuddered thinking about what happened on the way up The Stratosphere. "Never mind," he sighed.

-----------------------------------------

Stacy's voice chimed loud and clear in the agents' ears. "Where the hell are you all? They're a third of the way up The Big Shot now."

"Crowds," Pete answered, abruptly.

"Busy night up here, Stacy," Eric replied. "Pete, we'll meet up with you as soon as we can. Greg, Arnold, and Jesus are handling some crowd control issues, and we've also had complaints of a pickpocket."

"I'm on the pickpocket issue," Rosie stated, immediately refocusing her station to assist that team.

Michael nodded and stood back, letting his well-trained team handle the chaos, but standing ready to step in should he need to. "Terrence, let's go ahead and call our friends in blue in. Let's also get a couple of ambulances here, just in case."

"Yes, sir," Terrence stated, picking up his phone.

-----------------------------------------

Once at the top of the ride, Bazooka, hanging on tightly to his ropes and the steel, looked across the strip. "Wow," he said, smacking his gum.

Alpine leered at Bazooka. "You climbed up here with gum in your mouth?! Spit it out now."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Do you know how dangerous it is to chew gum while climbing? Spit," Alpine stated irately.

-----------------------------------------

"They're at the top," Stacy informed Pete, Matt and Lia. She sighed, seeing they had finally made it to the vicinity. "Stay out of sight until we say," she ordered.

"Yes ma'am," Pete acknowledged as he searched for a good spot to conceal himself. He eyed Matt and Lia in passing. The three mingled with a few patrons, making sure they were having a good time, all the while, never letting their eye lose track of the targets.

-----------------------------------------

Bazooka did as Alpine had requested and spit the wad of gum out. "Hope it doesn't land on someone down there," he said, looking down at the crowd below.

Alpine simply shook his head and then smiled, looking back down the strip. "So, Dave, what do you think of the view? One can see everything from here and the air smells so much better."

"Pretty lights," Bazooka awed as Alpine tugged him, motioning that it was time to descend. "Do we have to?"

"Yes. Cops'll be here any moment," Alpine replied, making his way down the carefully welded steel fixture. Bazooka followed every step his instructor made, until they both reached the ground safely. They hastily repacked their equipment and began to lose themselves in the crowd.

-----------------------------------------

"Now," Stacy informed the field agents. Pete, Matt and Lia took their cue and began to approach Alpine and Bazooka. On the way, a frantic lady grabbed Matt and Lia. She had been separated from her 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter.

"Go on, I'll take care of them," Lia offered. She assisted the mother until Greg and his partner could takeover.

Matt nodded and walked away calmly as if nothing was going on so as not to disturb the patrons, especially the lady with the missing children. He caught up with Pete and stopped to watch the targets repack their ropes and safety harnesses. They followed Alpine and Bazooka as the Joes weaved through the people standing around.

"Damn it! We lost them," Pete cursed into his mic.

In the monitoring room, Michael threw off his earpiece and took a few fast paces. "Shit, not again! Who are these guys? Harry Houdini and David Copperfield?" He muttered at the fact they had been able to evade his men yet again.

"LVPD is on the way," Terrence informed. "I've run their photos through the databases, Mike."

Michael nodded. "And?"

"Nothing."

"Which makes them visitors most likely," Michael finished.

"You know, you don't think they're part of that team from GI Joe that was here ousting Cobra, do you?" Stacy asked, trying to rationalize their unsuccessful attempts to detain the two individuals.

Matt, hearing the conversation through his earpiece, laughed. "And why exactly would two members of the GI Joe team be climbing our building and rides?"

In his serious, business voice, Michael replied, "Let's catch these jokers and chitchat later people."

Meanwhile, Greg and Jesus had met up with Lia and the worried mother. Lia brought them up to speed on that case and explained to the guest that they would take the report and help her find her missing children. Greg and Jesus read over Lia's notes and began gathering more information from the lady. "It will be okay, ma'am. Most of the time, they just get separated in the crowds," Jesus explained, while Greg notified the control room.

"Actually Matt, Stacy's theory makes a lot of sense," Lia commented, her eyes scanning for Pete and Matt's new locale.

"Lia, over here," Matt waved at her.

-----------------------------------------

After they had disappeared into the crowd, Bazooka and Alpine found themselves at The High Roller. "Can we?" Bazooka asked excitedly.

"I thought you hated these types of rides," Alpine commented confused.

Bazooka popped his bubble. "Not ride. Climb."

Alpine laughed. "I thought you'd never ask." The two daredevils scouted the area and soon began their next ascent. Halfway up the elevated roller coaster, Pete, Matt, and Lia spotted the two soldiers. "Faster Dave," Alpine hollered, speeding up his own pace. Suddenly, he felt a sharp tug on his belt, causing him to tighten his grasp on the steel bars. Once he regained his bearings, he looked down to see his apprentice fighting to keep from falling again.

Struggling for a firm grip, Bazooka finally gave the thumbs up signal showing he was okay. "Careful, pal," Alpine called down. They recommenced their ascent, reaching a small platform at the top of one of the large dips.

"Bert, it's our _friends _again, man," Bazooka said, looking back down at the men in black, who were scaling the ride behind them.

"I see 'em," Alpine nodded. Seeing one of the roller coaster's cars approaching, he told Bazooka, "Get ready... Jump." Both climbers landed in open seats in the car, escaping the clutches of their would-be arrestors and much to the amazement of the other patrons. "It's okay, we're professionals. Kids, don't try this at home," Alpine explained to the other riders.

-----------------------------------------

"Lia! Stop!" Matt yelled to his partner. "We can get them when their joyride ends," he explained as they hurriedly climbed back down.

"Damn, they've rounded the last turn. We'll never make it over there in time," Lia fussed. "Where are the others?" She asked into her mic.

"Arnold and I are on our way. Eric and Jesus are still working the missing children case, and the others are dealing with the pickpocket situation," Greg replied, running across the crowded observation deck. "Just pray we don't run into anymore disturbances. It's been one helluva busy evening up here."

"Michael, if you needed excitement this bad, we could have set you up. Things were quiet until you showed up," Arnold joked.

-----------------------------------------

Bazooka rolled his eyes, feeling queasy from the ups and downs and turns of the roller coaster. "Bert, I said climb, not ride."

Alpine laughed. "Climbing means you have to get back down the structure or object also, but that, my friend, is not always the same path you went up."

"But, Bert, this... uh, is _not _climbing," Bazooka corrected.

"That's only a slight technicality," Alpine retorted. "Ride's almost over. As soon as you get off, make a break for the edge where we climbed up this building. That looked like the best place to do our base jumping."

The ride stopped and to the amazement of the two trouble-seekers, there were no security officers or police nearby, at least none who were visible. Bazooka sighed, hoping that they would _save _him from his friend's next daring feat. Jumping off a perfectly fine building for no reason was not on his list of things-to-do on his 48-hour leave. He wondered why he had even let Alpine talk him into the scaling bit. Not having any other choice, Bazooka reached the edge and put on his parachute.

Both men jumped and yelled, "Geronimo!"

"Uh oh," Bazooka muttered, seeing the squadron of police cars and ambulances below.

"Yeah, what you said, 'uh oh'," Alpine repeated, knowing there was no way to evade their imminent arrest.

Bazooka nodded in agreement. Landing uninjured, both men were immediately handcuffed and read their Miranda rights. They lowered their heads as they were placed into the back seat of a LVPD car. "It was fun, wasn't it Dave?" Alpine asked seriously.

Bazooka wanted to give his demented friend, as Footloose would call him, a piece of his mind but broke out in an uncontrollable fit of laughter, which Alpine soon joined in on. "You're calling Conrad to bail us out," Bazooka stated, still laughing as they were driven to the precinct.

-----------------------------------------

Pete, Matt, Lia, Arnold, and Greg watched from the observation deck. "Man, this is when I wish they would issue us binoculars. They look like ants from up here," Greg commented, looking at the ground below.

"It's about bloody time those squad cars arrived," Lia stated. "Matt and I will head down there and give our statements. You guys make sure our guests have a smooth night."

-----------------------------------------

---

TBC

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End file.
